ONONDAGA — Onondaga Community College (OCC) and Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) on Dec. 12 announced a job-training program for students involved in OCC’s automotive-technology major. Tesla is a Palo Alto, California–based automaker that sells its cars directly to the consumer. It doesn’t presently have operations in Central New York because current New York law requires […]
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ONONDAGA — Onondaga Community College (OCC) and Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) on Dec. 12 announced a job-training program for students involved in OCC’s automotive-technology major.
Tesla is a Palo Alto, California–based automaker that sells its cars directly to the consumer. It doesn’t presently have operations in Central New York because current New York law requires car sales through franchise dealerships.
OCC and Tesla signed a letter of intent indicating that the Tesla “intends to offer internships” for students, “putting them in a strong position for full-time employment opportunities,” OCC said in a news release issued Dec. 12.
OCC and Tesla announced the internship program during an event held that day in the atrium of the school’s Whitney Applied Technology Center.
Students will have the opportunity to learn about Tesla’s products, work with a mentor, and complete a performance plan, Casey Crabill, president of Onondaga Community College, said in her remarks at the announcement.
“Students who successfully complete the program will have the opportunity to become Tesla employees and part of the auto industry’s technology revolution,” said Crabill.
“Onondaga Community College takes pride in preparing our students for the jobs of the future,” Olin Stratton, OCC’s dean of natural and applied sciences, said in the school’s release. “That’s why, with demand for and use of zero-emissions vehicles increasing in Syracuse, the opportunity for OCC students to work with Tesla is so valuable.”
“We’re looking forward to the chance to work with these students as soon as we can open sales and service centers in the area,” Kate Burson, who oversees Northeast market-development for Tesla, said in her remarks.
Dealer franchise law
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on June 16, 2014 signed legislation that “resolves a dispute” concerning how auto manufacturers can sell their products to consumers. The agreement, announced in March 2014 by Tesla Motors, the New York State Automobile Dealers Association and the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, allows Tesla Motors to maintain its five currently licensed retail locations in New York.
“Additional Tesla retail locations will be established under a strengthened dealer franchise law,” Cuomo’s office said then.
In his remarks at the OCC event, New York State Senator David Valesky (D–Oneida) indicated that state lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow Tesla to have operations in the region.
“There is legislation around the issue of Tesla as a retailer. We have a cap in the statute in terms of where retailers can be located in the state of New York. There’s legislation that is pending in committee in both the Senate and the Assembly that certainly deserves a hearing and I’m sure as we head into the new legislative session there’ll be lots of conversations around that possibility,” Valesky said.
Besides Valesky, New York State Assemblyman Al Stirpe (D–Cicero) also attended the announcement about the program.
“Tesla’s presence here will not only benefit our environment, it will boost our economy. The OCC program will give some of our best and brightest students a head start in the energy-sustainable future of automotive technology, and I applaud OCC and Tesla for their collaboration,” Stirpe said.
Crabill said she believes it’s “reasonable” to expect that the internship program with Tesla would begin in the fall of 2018, should state lawmakers approve legislation that would allow Tesla to begin operations in the region.